Draft-equalizer.



T. J. DUDLEY.

DRAFT EQUALIZEB.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..16, 1913.

1,071,898. Patentedfiept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR M AT TbRNEYS T. J. DUDLEY.

DRAFT EQUALIZER.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL15, 1913.

1,071,898, Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' TJDudley COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0 WASHINGTON, 0' c4 ATibRNEYs UNITED '1 OFFICE.

THOMAS J. DUDLEY, 0F DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MEN TS, T0 EUREKA MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, A CORPORA- HIGH OF TEXAS.

DRAFT-EQUALIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be 1t known that I, THOMAS J. DUDLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of a Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Equalizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention as specified relates to improvements in draft equalizers.

The object of the invention is to provide an equalizer involving a lever eccentrically pivoted and associated with a second pivoted lever through which the draft is transmitted to the first lever and both levers having connection with fixed points, in combination with a distributing lever and a draft lever having flexible connection with the first named lever and pivotal connection with the second named lever.

Another feature resides in the provision of a plurality of levers so connected and arranged that on one side of the point of attachment to the vehicle a greater portion of the draft is applied than on the other side, but also including means whereby said draft is equalized with relation to the travel of the vehicle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that will be strong, durable, efficient and simple and comparatively inexpensive to construct, also one in which the several parts will not be likely to get out of working order. I

With the above and other objects in view the invention has relation to certain novel features of construction and operation, an example of which is described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the equalizer, Fig. 2 is a detail of one of the pulleys and its guard, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the chain holding claw, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of equalizer.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the beam of a wheeled plow or other vehicle and 2, the front axle thereof fixed to the beam. On the forward end of the beam an equalizing lever 3 is eccentrically pivoted on a bolt 4 passing through said beam. The lever has a plurality of apertures 5 through which the bolt may be passed and the pivot point of the lever adjusted. Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the greater porswung.

tion of the lever 3 extends to the right thus giving greater leverage on the right hand side of the beam, but greater draft on the left hand side of the beam when the lever is Hereafter the left hand end of the lever will be referred to as the short end and the other end as the long end.

A link-lcver 6 has one end pivoted to the long end of the lever 3 by a bolt 7 and its other end pivoted to the rear end of a link 8. Intermediate of its ends the link-lover has a plurality of spaced apertures 9 any of which may be engaged by a pivot bolt 10 passed through a yoke 11 embracing the lever 6 and extending rearward. A chain 12 is connected to the yoke and extended to the axle 2 to which it is suitably fastened. A forward pull on the link 8 swings the lever 6 and pulls the chain taut, the bolt 10 being the pivot point. When the lever 6 is swung, its end connected to the long end of the lever 3 is swung rearward thus swinging the short end of the lever 3 forward. A guard bracket 14 is secured about the extremity of the short end of the lever by a pivot bolt 15 and from this bracket :1 chain 16 extends rearward and is suitably fastened to the axle 2. \Vhen the short end of the lever 3 is swung forward the draft will be transmitted to the axle by the chain 16 which is drawn taut. It will be apparent that a greater portion of the draft will be applied through the chain 16, although a certain per cent. will be applied through the chain 12.

The forward end of the link 8 is pivoted on a bolt 17 passing through a distributing lever 18 which extends on each side of the link 8. At the right hand end of the lever 18 a doublc-tree 20 is pivotally connected by a link 19 and to the ends of the double-tree, swingle-trees 21 are pivoted. The link 19 is pivoted to the lever 18 some distance from its end and is attached at this point when the equalizer is being used with four horses. At the extreme right hand end of the lever 18 an aperture 22 is provided and at this point suitable connections (not shown) may be attached for hitching three horses when the equalizer is to be used with a team of five horses.

To the bolt 17 the rear end of a curved bar 23 is pivoted. This bar is curved to the left (Fig. 1) and has its forward end fixed on the adjacent end of a draft lever 241 tremities.

, in Fig. 2. From the pulley 30 said chain is again directed rearwardly to and around a pulley 32 mounted in a bracket 33 attached to the extreme left hand end (Fig. 1) of the lever 18, and then forward to a clawhook 34 fixed on the lever 24. The amount of slack or length of the chain 28 maybe fleglllrlated by engaging different links in the From the foregoing it will be apparent that a forward pull on the double-tree 26 is transmitted to the chain 28 and also to the short end of the lever 3, but all slack must be taken up first. By means of the chain 28 a portion of the draft is transmitted to the lever 18 and to the link 8. The lever 18 distributes the draft exerted by either team and the chain 28 compensates the leverage of the lever 3. i

In Fig. 4 I have shown a slightly modified form which is designed for three horses and in which the parts are substantially the same as in Fig. 1, with certain exceptions. The bar 23 is omitted and the double-tree 20 is replaced by a swingle-tree 35 which is connected to the end of the lever 18 by a link 36. The pivot bolt 17 is changed in the lever 18 so that the end carrying the swingle-tree 35 has the greatest leverage. The pulley 30 is located in the center of the lever 24 and one of the swingle trees 27 is pivoted in the link 25 instead of the doubletree 26; the other swingle-tree 27 being attached to the opposite end of the lever 24. The chain 28 is also attached to the lever 24 at points equidistant from the pulley 30.

' It is obvious that the draft applied to either swingle-tree 27 is equalized by the chain 28; while the swingle-tree 35 has sufficient leverage to proportion the load.

What I claim is:

1. In a draft equalizer, the combination with the beam and axle of a vehicle, of a lever pivoted eccentrically, a second lever pivoted to one end of the first lever, a connection between the opposite end of the first lever and the axle, a connection attached to the second lever intermediate its ends and also secured to the axle, a third lever having connection with the free end of the second lever and having provision at Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

ver having provision for attaching a team lever having connection with the free endof the second lever and having provision at one end for attaching a horse, a fourth lever having provision for attaching a team of horses, and a ,fiexible connection between the free ends of the first and third levers and the fourth lever, said flexible connection having its extremities secured to the fourth lever.

3. In a draft equalizer, the combinatio with the beam and axle of a vehicle, of a lever pivoted on the beam eccentrically, a second lever pivoted to one end of thefirst lever, a connection between the opposite end of the first lever and the axle, a connection attached to the second lever intermediate its ends and also secured to the axle, a third lever having connection with the free end of the second lever and having provision at one end for attaching a horse, a fourth lever having provision for attaching a team of horses, pulleys mounted on the free ends of the first and third levers, a pulley mounted on the fourth lever relatively intermediate of the first named pulleys, and a flexible connection having its ends held and passing around all of the pulleys.

4. In a draft equalizer, the combination with the beam and axle of a vehicle, of a lever pivoted on the beam eccentrically, a second lever pivoted to one end of the first lever, a flexible connection between the opposite endof the first lever and the axle, a flexible connection attached to the second lever intermediate of its ends and also secured to the axle, a third lever having connection with the free end of the second lever and having provision at one end for attaching a horse, a fourth lever having provision for attaching a team of horses, and a flexible connection between the free ends of the first and third levers and the fourth lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS J. DUDLEY.

Witnesses:

J. S. MURRAY, GLELLIE CARR.

' Washington, D. 0. 

